If i'm disabled, should i feel like i don't belong in this world?

I was in a bad accident when I was really young, and parts of me had to be amputated as a result. Nobody talked to me about it very much during my childhood and the damage isn't too obvious since a lot of it was internal, but I've recently learned that it almost certainly had lasting, permanent detrimental effects on my mind. This has deeply disturbed me and caused me to spend lots of time questioning my own worth and whether I really deserve to be here or not.

On the surface, my life seems fine. I was valedictorian in high school, I've gotten into a nice college where I make decent grades, I have a job that isn't too difficult, and I'm getting ready to travel abroad for the first time in my life, which is all stuff I SHOULD be really happy about. But in spite of all this, I still feel like something is just... WRONG about me, on a fundamental level. The physical damage from the accident makes it harder or even impossible for me to do some things than most people, but even deeper than that, because of the mental complications I have lots of trouble developing connections and being intimate with people, or expressing my feelings. In other words, it feels as though a significant aspect of my humanity has been impacted.

It seems like everything I've ever been, felt, or done in my life is undermined by the knowledge that I'm not "normal", and that everything I'll ever accomplish in my whole life is secondary to that issue. I've been ostracized by many of the people in my life after trying to reach out to them about it, with them either telling me to get over it or simply ignoring the issue altogether since it can't actually be fixed. At the same time, I've been reminded time and time again by others how my condition makes me different and how such conditions are to be advocated against to "protect future generations" from similar situations, regardless of how I actually feel about having to live with it myself. This is all compounded by the fact that both the physical and mental consequences of my condition will only get worse as I get older, so there's also the question of whether I should keep going in an increasingly bad situation like that. Even more so, if I ever do succeed in meeting someone to spend my time with, I have to wonder if it would be okay to make them accept my situation as well.

Deep down, I know that what I've been told about being different than most people is true; to deny that would be to deny that any of this ever happened to me, and even if I spend every day of my life not wanting any of it, I have no choice but to either live or die with the situation. And I suppose that's where I'm at right now; trying to decide if the life I have is really worth living, or if I should simply accept that I'll never be normal and die instead of prolonging the suffering anymore, or subjecting anyone else to having to deal with it as well.

I know that there are still people in my life who would be deeply hurt if I weren't here anymore, but I can't help but question the validity of their care since many of them are the same people who refuse to talk to me about my situation in the first place. I've even been to therapists who've refused to discuss the issue for reasons I still don't fully understand, but in all, everyone whom I've tried to be open with about my condition has given me a general sense of discomfort and disdain. Because of that, I've decided to look at this entire situation as a personal issue instead - in the hopes that I could avoid being too influenced by others' feelings and instead look at my own values - but I still run into all the hangups that I've described here.

To conclude, I live through any given day with this same question ringing in the back of my mind, and I feel that if I leave it there for too much longer then it might result in even more serious problems in my perceivable future. However, with no solution in sight, I'm at a loss for what to do anymore.

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Comments ( 6 )
  • ERIC-CARTMAN98

    I'm sorry but you need to stop being a pussy you are barely disabled and you are living a life better than many others who are actually disabled and even better than some "normal" people.

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  • Sanara

    People don't want to discuss it because they don't really know what to do or say. Most people can solve their problems if they pull himself together and make life changes but you have something lifelong that you actually cant solve. I don't think its peoples lack of caring towards you that make them reject you. I dont know whats best myself here

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  • INSANE710

    You have every right to happiness and don't put yourself down anymore.

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  • SockUnicorn92

    I'm going to be honest and say I just read the first paragraph and based on that I have to say that you should not at all feel of any less worth as any other person. You are still a full "you" no matter the completeness of your physical body. It may be shallow of me to be saying this without having read the essay but my opinion was formed after knowing the situation and it won't change because my opinion on this kind of matter is very rigid. I really hope you could mend your self-worth. Good luck and lots of love.

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  • RoseIsabella

    I dunno, because you're not saying what it is that you lost.

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  • Ellenna

    Ignore the arrogant and uncaring posts. I suggest you find a therapist who will listen to you: check it out before you make an appointment. Maybe organisations for the disabled could suggest some more options for you.

    As for the people who think you shouldn't be able to pass on your condition, how stupid are they? Conditions acquired after birth can't be passed on!

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